It's the Lies About Beef that are the Slime… Or Is It Just the Slime?

It’s the Lies About Beef that are the Slime… Course In the End, Isn’t the Lies About Almost Everything (from the Government and the media) that is the Problem? And Why It Is So Hard to Decide…

Two Views… On the Slime

It’s the Lies About Beef that are the Slime

by Alan Caruba on April 1, 2012 at 9:28am  -  View Blog – TPN – h/t to MJ and George King

I am subject to various enthusiasms and, in 2008, I wrote a series about beef and the vast network of phony consumer advocates, vegetarian types, animal rights groups and headline chasing media folks who love a good scare campaign, all trying to convince Americans that beef was bad for them.

Today, it is a smear campaign about a type of meat promoted in the media as “pink slime.” Typically, it is a pack of lies and it’s going to cost some folks their jobs and drive up the cost of beef if allowed to go unchallenged.

What is being demonized in this 21st century reincarnation of the 1989 Alar apple scare is finely textured, 95% lean beef. It is composed of small parts of beef that are still available for use after the cuts with which we are more accustomed, like sirloin, brisket, top round, flank, porterhouse, and some forty other selections, are taken.

This lean beef is routinely added to lower quality hamburger to increase its protein content and its production has long been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It actually improves the nutritional quality of a lot of cheaper hamburger.

While the media may not approve of this beef, plenty of others do. A March 29 article in The Wall Street Journal reported that after being hammered in the media for weeks, the lean beef, “is getting support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the governors of five states, who argue it has been unfairly labeled and is actually a safe, low-cost way to make ground beef leaner.”

Other supporters include food safety activists like Nancy Donley, who lost her son, Alex, to e.coli and now advocates for tougher food safety laws to prevent similar deaths. The founder of Safe Tables Our Priority (STOP), Donley wrote in the March 17 edition of Food Safety News about her experience learning more about the modern American meat industry and her tour of a Beef Products, Inc. (BPI) plant which produces the lean beef now under attack.

“I got to know the owners, Eldon and Regina Roth,” wrote Donley, “and was impressed by their complete commitment to the safety and wholesomeness of the meat products they produced. I was also impressed by the food safety culture they instilled throughout their company.”

The company and its owners were also the subject of a June 12, 2008 Washington Post article titled “Engineering a Safer Burger.” In profiling Eldon Roth, the Post noted that Roth, “discovered his process for separating meat from fat had the unintended effect of making the lean beef more alkaline and therefore less conducive to bacteria.

The Post further reported that Roth and his staff, “began working with ammonium hydroxide, a food additive already approved by federal regulators for use in processing cheese, chocolate and soda. It also exists naturally in beef. By increasing the level of it in beef, Roth hoped to reduce its acidity and create less hospitable conditions for bacteria.”

It worked! Exposing the meat to a tiny amount of ammonium hydroxide gas during processing elevates its pH and increases food safety. There are no reports of illness related to the consumption of the company’s finely textured lean beef.

However, if there is one thing reporters love to use to scare people it is the name of any chemical. Thus, media coverage against this beef hypes ammonium hydroxide, ignoring the fact it that exists naturally in beef. It exists in many of the fruits and vegetables one might harvest from an organic garden. Furthermore, our bodies safely produce ammonia.

That hasn’t stopped media outlets like ABC News and others from reporting scary stories about the product and smearing BPI. In a March 23 opinion posted on the Fox News Forum, Dan Gainor, vice president of business and culture for the Media Research Center, summed up the latest scare campaign, writing “TV news loves a health scare. Think deadly Tylenol. Killer tomatoes. Mad Cow disease. Alar in apples, and lots more.”

Like the Alar apple scare this is a totally invented media scare. It’s the way, as Gainor wrote “Slimy journalists” use these stories as “a path to winning journalistic awards—facts be damned.” It’s also why this card-carrying member of the Society of Professional Journalists since the 1970s keeps exposing this shoddy journalism and the groups that generate it for their own selfish agendas.

Have a hamburger. Have a steak. Eat beef. Don’t run scared every time some so-called journalist exploits your lack of knowledge of where beef comes from, how it is processed, and why millions of pounds of it are eaten with pleasure and the knowledge that it is the safest found anywhere in the world.

© Alan Caruba, 2012

Image Credit: Brian Yarvin/Getty Images

Pink slime factories shuttered after massive public backlash

by: Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) For several decades now, the conventional beef industry has secretly been lacing ground beef products with an industrial, ammonia-laced byproduct known as “pink slime,” a disturbing fact that recently came to the forefront of national attention after Food Network chef Jamie Oliver first drew attention to its existence. And consumer backlash has been so strong ever since that a number of supermarket chains, restaurants, and even schools have decided to stop supplying it, which has caused its primary producer, Beef Products Inc. (BPI), to close three of its four manufacturing plants.

USA Today and others are reporting that Dakota Dunes, South Dakota-based BPI is temporarily closing its Waterloo, Iowa; Garden City, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas plants for an indefinite period of time as a result of widespread consumer rejection of pink slime products. Workers at these plants will continue to receive pay and benefits for the next 60 days, but it is unclear what will happen after these next two months expire, should the plants continue to remain closed.

Meanwhile, BPI is launching an aggressive public relations campaign to fight back against its critics, which includes claiming that pink slime is “100 percent beef,” and that it is a highly-nutritious and safe product. And many in the media are jumping onboard this propaganda bandwagon by spinning the situation back against consumers, who are technically victims that have been been duped all these years into buying ground beef products that were secretly adulterated with pink slime.

In case you missed the original story, pink slime, which is officially known as “lean finely textured beef,” is basically a low-cost ground beef filler composed of beef scraps that are mashed, processed with a chemical ammonia solution, and turned into an unappetizing pink paste, the pictures of which have circulated the internet in recent months

(http://www.naturalnews.com/035255_pink_slime_USDA_school_lunches.html).

This pink slime has been added to roughly 70 percent of all ground beef products since the 1990s, but few were aware of it. Pink slime is obviously not labeled on ground beef packages, and the only way consumers can know for sure that they are not consuming it is to buy local or organic ground beef, or to watch the beef being ground fresh before buying it.

BPI, mainstream media launch attack on consumers for rejecting pink slime

It is abundantly clear that the vast majority of American consumers are not interested in feeding their children a highly-processed additive that has been treated with toxic ammonia, which is why the product is being pulled from grocery store shelves, restaurant menus, and schools all across the country. But BPI is not going down without a fight, as it is launching a campaign that basically insults the intelligence of Americans by claiming that pink slime is no different from real beef.

But according to former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist Gerald Zirnstein, pink slime is not actually meat, nor is it as nutritious as meat, a sentiment to which his former colleague Carl Custer also agrees. And Kit Foshee, a former executive at BPI, appears to hold the same view, having told ABC News that pink slime is processed from fat and cuts that would otherwise not ever be used as food.

“Microbiologically safe and nutritionally complete are two different issues,” said Custer to ABC News, referring to BPI’s claim that pink slime contains little fat and is pathogen-free. “It may be pink [but], nutritionally, it is not equivalent to whole-muscle tissue” (http://abcnews.go.com).

Turkey & Cheese? No. Pink slime? Yes!

The lunch police have made headlines recently, particularly when one school official actually confiscated a packed lunch they deemed unhealthy. But at the same time, the FDA has approved wide usage of a food substance called ‘pink slime’ that, as the name suggests, is allegedly not healthy. Glenn, Pat & Stu talk processed foods: as bad as people say? WATCH

Between the hormones given the cattle and the pink slime, most countries will not import or eat American beef… Why are we???

My final vote is still out on the pink slime…partly because I respect Alan Caruba, although all in all it doesn’t sound like a good thing, but the hormones are definitely something to be concerned about… as well as GMO foods of all kinds. I’ll keep doing some research on the so-called slime… but in the meantime, you be the judge…

(However in the meantime, as much as possible I will be buying locally raised and butchered meats (from the butcher) and organic cuts from known sources as much as possible. We had friends whose family are butchers and they are very negative about the meat glue and meat slime) M~

Related:

State officials: Pink slime is beef - Gov. Rick Perry of Texas Defends Use

What the end of 'pink slime' means to you

USDA Recalls 143 Million Pounds of Beef Products Already Consumed by Schoolchildren; Slaughterhouse Atrocities Shock World

Taco Bell beef faked? No more than the rest of the FDA-approved toxic food supply

Food Fights and Class Warfare

What's Really in Your Fast Food?

Meat Glue

Health department raids community picnic and destroys all food with bleach

Feeding The Homeless BANNED In Major Cities All Over America - Really?

Dr Mercola: Bill Gates: One of the World’s Most Destructive Do-Gooders? (Plus: Monsanto and GMO Foods)

Monsanto: A HORRIFYING PICTURE THAT WILL FREEZE THE BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS – Updated: See Petition

America’s farmlands to be carpet-bombed with Vietnam-era Agent Orange chemical if Dow petition approved

The 50 Fattiest Foods in the State

Why I ‘Prescribe’ Meat to My Patients

Have you see any of these headlines?

• “Too much red meat will kill you” (The National Business Review)
• “Want to live longer? Cut back on red meat” (CNN)
• “Meat-heavy diet linked to early death” (USA Today)

So why in the world would I “prescribe” eating red meat to my patients… when the mainstream media is screaming to the masses that it will kill you?

Because, in my opinion, there’s a huge difference between factory-farm GRAIN-FED beef … and pasture-raised GRASS-FED beef.

Here’s why…

Get The Truth About Grain-Fed Beef

Cattle aren’t supposed to eat grain. They’re natural-born grass eaters. But, factory farmers feed cattle high-calorie, high-octane grain to fatten them up faster… bring them to market faster… and reap higher profits.

Unfortunately, you wind up paying for it. Grain-fed beef has up to three times more fat than grass-fed beef. 1

And grain isn’t the only “unnatural” food these farmers serve cattle, either.

You know the saying, “You are what you eat?”

Well… think about this:

Factory farmers have also been known to feed cattle:

1. Recycled human food, such as stale candy, pizza, potato chips, brewery wastes, and hamburger buns.
2. Parts of our fruits and vegetables that we don’t eat, such as orange rinds, beet pulp, and carrot tops.
3. STUFF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT… including chicken manure, chicken feathers, newsprint, cardboard, and “aerobically digested” municipal garbage.

And here’s something even more disturbing.

In the mid-1990s, a team of animal researchers conducted a study to see what would happen if they fed cattle stale chewing gum – still in its wrappers.” 2

The conclusion? Here’s a direct quote from the researchers. (I’m not making this up.)

“… gum and its packaging material can safely replace at least 30% of growing and finishing diets without impairing feedlot performance or carcass merit.”

Fatten cattle up on stale bubblegum and aluminum wrappers and pass on the end product to you and your family.

Would you eat something that was raised on stale candy, garbage, bubblegum, aluminum wrappers, cardboard and chicken crap? Or feed it to your family?

I’ll tell you something… the fact that the USDA lets this fly is absolutely insane.

And then there are all the synthetic hormones, low-level antibiotics, and chemicals they pump into factory-farm cattle…

… or how the cattle may “accidentally” get fed cow parts - which leads to the deadly “mad cow” disease,…

… or how the massive, corporate-owned feedlots cram huge numbers of cattle into inhumanely small spaces (which places huge amounts of stress on the animals – and makes them highly susceptible to disease)…

The list of negatives goes on and on and on.

With all this in mind, in my opinion, it’s no wonder that red meat has been linked to certain chronic health concerns. How could any cow that’s raised in such a way remain healthy and produce healthy beef? It’s next to impossible.

The bottom line is factory-farm red meat is simply horrible stuff. And you have every right to be scared to death of it.

However, pasture-raised, grass-fed beef could not be any more different. You have nothing to fear when you make it a part of your diet. In fact, pasture-raised, grass-fed beef is so loaded with health benefits, I’d even go as far as to call it a “super food.”

Seven Health Benefits of
Pasture-Raised, Grass-Fed Beef

For starters, here are seven reasons why making grass-fed beef a regular part of your diet is such a wise health decision.

Health Reason No. 1. Less overall fat and calories than grain-fed beef: A six-ounce loin from a grass-fed cow has, on average, 92 fewer calories than a six-ounce loin from a grain-fed cow. Now, the average American eats 67 pounds of beef per year.3 This adds up to, on average, a 16,642 calorie difference. So if you switched to grass-fed beef… and did nothing else… you’d lose 9½ pounds in two years just by switching to grass-fed!

Health Reason No. 2. More Omega-3s: You need omega-3s to survive. That’s why they’re called “essential fatty acids.” Omega-3s:

• Help promote a healthy heart, brain, and immune system…
• Encourage strong bones, teeth, and nails…
• Support a positive, happy mood…
• Help maintain sharp vision for decades… and more.*

And where do omega-3s originate from? Green plants (including grass… the food of choice of grass-fed cows.) As a result, grass-fed beef has 2 to 10 times more omega-3s than grain-fed beef. 4

Health Reason No. 3. A healthier ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s: Omega-6s and omega-3s are both essential fatty acids. You need them to survive. The problem is when you have too many omega-6s. omega-6s have a pro-oxidation effect if your diet is too heavy in it, which the typical American diet tends to be. This can impact your overall health and wellbeing, including heart and brain health.
Many health experts believe the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s should be no more than 4:1.5 Grain-fed beef has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 5:1 to 14:1. Way too high. Grass-fed, on the other hand, has a much healthier ratio of less than 1:1 to 3:1.6

Health Reason No. 4. More CLA: Grass-fed beef contains two to five times more CLA than the grain-fed variety.7,8 , CLA is a newly discovered “good fat” that research suggests helps support immune and cardiovascular growth . It also appears to help promote lean muscle mass.9

Health Reason No. 5. More Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an extremely powerful antioxidant. It helps protect you from free radicals… which is considered the leading cause of premature aging. Vitamin E also boosts your immunity and helps promote a healthy heart.
Grass-fed beef contains three to six times more vitamin E than grain-fed beef.10

Health Reason No. 6. More Carotenoids: A diet rich in carotenoids has multiple health benefits… including promoting eye and macular health. Grass-fed beef has up to four times more beta-carotene than grain-fed beef.11

Health Reason No. 7. More B Vitamins, CoQ10, and Zinc (and SAFE!): When you eat grass-fed beef, you are getting more B vitamins, CoQ10, and zinc than you would with grain-fed beef.

Aside from grass-fed beef’s amazing health benefits, there’s one other thing I haven’t mentioned yet.

And I think you’ll like this as much as I do.

It’s The Best Beef I’ve Ever Tasted

One of the biggest misconceptions about grass-fed beef is that it tastes dry or gamey. That because it has no fat… therefore it has no flavor.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

When it’s raised and finished properly, it’s actually far superior, in my opinion, to grain-fed beef. And I’m not alone in thinking this, either.

Here’s what gourmet critics in several mainstream publications had to say about the flavor of grass-fed beef:

“… superior to the meat harvested from grain-fed animals.”

-- The New York Times

“Grass-fed beef tastes better than corn-fed beef.”

-- The Atlantic Monthly

“… delicious, rich and full-flavored, but without the excessive fattiness on the finish of some prime beef.”

-- Wine Spectator

I’m telling you… it’s delicious!

There is one caveat about grass-fed beef, however. And it’s something you should know about as well.

Because it takes so much more TLC to raise grass-fed cattle, it costs a little more than the cheap grain-fed stuff.

And it hasn’t been that easy to find, either. It requires more effort to get it onto your plate. But I sure think it’s worth it… especially when you consider:

• The welfare of the animals (grass-fed cattle are raised in a natural environment)…
• The well-being of the local farmers that raise grass-fed cattle (supporting local farming benefits the community… instead of massive corporate-owned farms)…
• Your health (Now that you know the facts, what would you rather eat?)…

So in the end, it’s definitely worth it to “go grass-fed.”

And here’s some good news.

I’ve just made it easier than ever for you to give grass-fed beef a try.

Sample Some Delicious Grass-Fed Beef In Your Own Home

Not long ago, a friend put me in contact with a man who owns a cattle ranch in the foothills of Virginia’s Appalachia country.

He’s got about 700 cattle. What’s more:

• The cattle are pasture-raised and grass-fed…
• The beef is “Certified Humane"…
• The feed is free of animal proteins…
• They don’t EVER use hormones or steroids on the cattle…
• They don’t give the cattle unnecessary antibiotics…
• The beef is dry-aged for 14-21 days (to ensure maximum flavor)

But here’s the thing.

Normally, you could only buy a “quarter-beef” (188 pounds) or a “half-beef” (375 pounds).

That’s a lot of beef… even for a large family. And that’s a lot to order at first. Especially if you’ve never given it a try and not sure if “grass-fed” is for you (even though I know you’re going to love it!)

So we worked out a deal where you can bypass ordering hundreds of pounds of grass-fed beef…

… and order a much smaller 20-pound “sampler” pack of tasty cuts of grass-fed beef instead… straight from the ranch. Each sampler pack is different, but you’ll get:

• At least six pounds of steaks
• Approx. five pounds of roast/rib combination
• Approx. nine pounds of burger and stew meat

It’s a great deal… but there’s a catch. When you order a sample pack, you’re not going to receive it “overnight.” In fact, it’ll take about 3-5 weeks before it arrives at your doorstep. Why the wait? Because the ranch guarantees the freshest beef possible.

And it’s well worth the wait.

I strongly encourage you to give grass-fed beef a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Click here for ordering info.

By:  Dr. Al Sears

____________________
1 Robinson, J. Pasture Perfect: The Far Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-Fed Animals. Vashon Island Press. 2004
2 Robinson, J. Pasture Perfect: The Far Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-Fed Animals. Vashon Island Press. 2004
3 Robinson, J. Pasture Perfect: The Far Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-Fed Animals. Vashon Island Press. 2004
4 The “Scientific Research” section of the http://www.eatwild.com website.
5 Simopoulos, A.P. “The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids,” (2002). Biomed Pharmacother 56 (8): 365-79
6 The “Scientific Research” section of the http://www.eatwild.com website.
7 Dhiman, T.R., G.R. Anand, L.D. Satter, and M.W. Pariza. (1999). “Conjugated Linolenic Acid Content of Milk from Cows Fed Different Diets.” J Dairy Sci 82, (10): 2146-56
8 French, P., C. Stanton, F. Lawless, E.G. O’Riordan, F.J. Monahan, P.J. Caffrey, and A.P. Moloney. (2003) “Fatty Acid Composition, Including Conjugated Linolenic Acid, of Intramuscular Fat from Steers Offered Grazed Grass, Grass Silage, or Concentrate-Based Diets.” J Anim Sci 78, (11): 2849-55.
9 Platzman, Andrea, MS, RD, CDN. Crank Up Your Body's Furnace with these Fat-Burning Foods. http://www.healthclubs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=14230
10 Smith, G.C. “Dietary Supplementation of Vitamin E to Cattle to Improve Shelf-Life and Case-Life for Domestic and International Markets.” Colorado State University. Complete reference not known.
11 Prache, S., A. Priolo, et al. (2003). “Persistence of carotenoid pigments in the blood of concentrate-finished grazing sheep: its significance for the traceability of grass-feeding.” J Anim Sci 81(2): 360-7.

Posted:  True Health Is True Wealth